#blackfog2024

[heroftruth]

"You know, coffee's on the second floor," Giovanni's voice alerts Hilda while Jack stands with uncanny idiosyncrasy of the dead man's behaviors.

"It's inadvisable to sleep. You're worrying me, sitting still like that. Coffee may be good for you. Koga's likely to lead a group meditation later, if that is also something you're interested in."

She doesn't know how long she's been sitting there, the light stone cradled in her arms, gaze fixated on it. The warmth against her skin has been soothing, but the lack of the dragon's consciousness in the back of her mind since she came to has been anxiety provoking. Years Reshiram has been there, a paternal voice, a constant companion, and right now there's nothing. Hilda can't dwell on it, can't focus too much on the gap or her chest begins to feel tight and her hands too shaky.

Giovanni's voice pulls her from her thoughts and causes her to lift her gaze to see Jack standing there, a posture reminiscent of him. It's simultaneously a relief and a reminder of the reality surrounding them. He's here, but his body is in tatters, and there's no guarantee they'll be able to save him. "I was just lost in thought I guess... I'm not used to how quiet my mind is right now." It's been too many years. She glances at the stone again before placing it carefully in her bag. This at least, is temporary thanks to Giovanni and Jack protecting the stone. Reshiram will wake in time, she's confident of it.

"Maybe, right now I don't think quiet is going to help me. I'll get some coffee though." The caffeine will help, soothing and familiar but also to keep her from falling asleep. "How are you holding up?"

[heroftruth]

The darkness covering Saffron City isn't natural.

Water is soaking her clothes, weighing her down. She keeps having to swallow down the fear that threatens to grow, they have a mission to finish. They're so close, two of the four pylons are up, and the third is right here. But as they continue to be surrounded, the reality of the danger they are in is continuing to set in. Gastly, the swarms, the claws... it's all around the four of them. Hilda knows, even as the youngest person of this group, that they're vastly outnumbered. Is there any way out of this?

Withdrawing Reshiram is a heavy blow that sinks her heart, even as she fights to remain focused on the task at hand. The last time the dragon's health had been expended was the castle, so many years ago and so many miles away.

It's hard to spot the others amidst the chaos, but she's able to see Giovanni throw something with such force behind the action. Realization of what the item is hits her swiftly. He's tossed Jack's pokeball away from the fight that's threatening to engulf them all. Dread fills her in a mere heartbeat, sending the Iron Valient away can only mean one thing, that he doesn't think they will survive this fight. If Giovanni, a man who has faced this entity more than once and lived doesn't think he is making it out...

They're going to fall here.

Despite her hands shaking at the thought, she manages to grasp Reshiram's pokeball tightly, eyes darting to the same direction he'd tossed Jack's. She's not going to make it out of here. This will be where she falls, and if she doesn't act now one of Unova's dragons is going to be lost here in the waters coating the streets of Saffron. Lost to the waters Black Fog is responsible for, lost thousands of miles away from the place the dragon is responsible for.

When her heart stops the dragon will revert back to that stone, and if it is lost here how will the person who succeeds her find it? The loss of Unova's dragons for centuries is not a piece of the region's history she wants to be repeated.

For one moment she needs to commit an action to the future of her own region. Because there will be one, there has to. Others will finish what they have started here and find a way to defeat Black Fog.

"Please, tell him to take care of the stone." The words leave her lips just before she follows suit, throwing Reshiram 's pokeball with as much strength as she can muster. The moment the sensation of the item against her fingertips is gone it feels as though her chest physically aches. The moment she can't see it anymore her heart shatters. It's as if a piece of her has been violently ripped away, devastation there is no time to dwell on. There's only a small comfort in Giovanni's agreement.

Hilda forces herself to turn away and focus her attention on the battle, forces herself to breathe. She'll have to trust that Jack will make it, that someone will take hold of the light stone and get it back to Unova when all of this is over, when others take down Black Fog. That Rosa will receive the stone.

There's nothing else to do but fight as long as she can.

[heroftruth]

She follows the point towards the kiosk, taking note of the magazines. Reading isn't a bad idea, it's a task that will keep her awake and perhaps provide a distraction. "Maybe after some coffee." Right now, it feels like it might be too quiet of a task, but she is open and appreciative of Giovanni's suggestions.

The mention of her Red is enough to cause Hilda's free hand to lift, her gaze lingering down to the ring he'd given her. Like the feel of the metal against her skin, it's a grounding sight, a piece of him with her here. "He's kind and brave, like your nephew. I actually met your Red because of him." Hilda starts, her thoughts drifting to her fiance. "Red was patient helping me figure things out. I kept making trips to visit him and he kept visiting me in Unova. Eventually, I asked him to move in with me, by accident."

If she were to truly dwell on it, maybe it would feel strange telling Giovanni all of this. But after all they've been through, all they have talked about, it doesn't. He's become someone she trusts, a mentor and friend.

"I'm sure Red is going to be worried when he finds out what's happened." Once she gets home, there's no doubt in her mind the two of them won't be leaving one another's side for a while. "We're both used to the other ending up in dangerous situations, but if we'd expected this I know he would have come with me to Kanto."

A humming noise emanates from PIP as Jack looks around the Center, scanning on their behalf.

"There's different magazines," Giovanni states, pointing to a kiosk, "Centers are stocked with entertainment and academic periodicals."

Colorful covers and smiling faces of people and pokemon frozen in a snapshot are a stark contrast to the distraught, weepy faces of those sheltering at the Center.

He should be feeling something with them. He wasn't. Whether the cause was him defaulting to unconsciously shunning unnecessary emotion, or the unfamiliarity of this body's internal workings, Giovanni couldn't tell. The most the man could decipher was a shared notion of concern between himself and Jack for the members of their unit.

"Maybe reading would keep the body rested and the mind awake."

He thinks for a moment, looking down at the ring on Hilda's hand.

"... Or you could tell me more about your partner- your Red," Giovanni offers, Jack resting them at a table, "You only just briefly mentioned him on our last mission. I won't pry, it's up to you."

[heroftruth]

"That's okay, I think I might need to slow down for a few weeks after this." Time to rest, to talk, to process everything. "I know you'll be out of commission for longer than that but there's still the notes, I can take some time to work on strength training too."

She can't help a small laugh at his remark, remembering how angry the Red they'd met in Area Zero had been when meeting him. "I'm sure he'll be wary, but he knows about our talks and you helping me train." It might be a bit rocky, but there's enough ground for amiability.

Hilda nods at his comment as they walk the corridors, comfort and relief aren't going to be easy to come by with all that has happened, but she can at least take steps to mediate things. With her free hand, she fidgets with her ring, thumb rubbing against the back of the cold metal of it. "I don't know if comfort is really going to be possible for me right now. I think after some coffee and meds I'm going to need to find something to do while we're here. If I sit down like that again I'm worried I might panic. My mind is too quiet right now."

"Ha ha..."

The small laugh quietly hums from the Porygon. Hilda doesn't let go when she rises, squeezing into Jack's hand. Giovanni can feel the pressure, and the sensation of 'warmth' through Jack, as Hilda gives him a list of things that he still had to live for.

Training, going over her father's notes, meeting 'her' Red.

"Alright. I may not be able to physically demonstrate in training for a while, but I'll definitely help you decipher those notes."

"And I'll try to make a good impression for your significant other. I don't have the best track records with Reds from other universes, be forewarned."

He says it lightly, then nods at Hilda's self-assessment of an oncoming tension headache.

"Good call. It'd be best to take care of that sooner rather than later. Get some comfort and relief while you can."

[heroftruth]

The resolve in his words is soothing, a relief to know he hasn't given up. Hilda accepts Jack's hand, not letting go as she rises. So many of them have formed bonds with Giovanni, she's seen the entire time she's known him how much he means to people. Their conversations, his honesty, and advice, she's grown to view him as a friend. He's been someone she's been able to look to in fights, and someone she's been able to talk to openly outside of them.

She's not ready to say goodbye.

"You said you'd help me train," Hilda starts, managing a small smile as she looks over at Jack. "We only just started that and looking at my father's notes. I'm holding you to that. I'd like to introduce you to my Red someday too."

"I'll try not to. I know we have to keep going and see this through." The aftermath, they'll all figure out once the fight is over. If she dwells on it, on the possibilities and danger, on the lack of Reshiram's voice in her mind, she may balk.

There's no room for hesitation once they leave here.

She squeezes back, thankful for the touch. It's grounding, a reminder she's not alone. "Alright, honestly I already feel a headache coming on, I'll take something for it after some coffee."

There's a glassy quality to Hilda's eyes, the telltale sign of holding back tears. Jack kneels to offer their hand to assist her up.

"... If it's in my power, I won't be."

It's a firm resolve. He had no intentions of leaving people behind while there was still need of him.

It just turned out there were more people that seemed to need him than he initially estimated. Bittersweet, in its own way.

"I've already been tasked with being a potential baby sitter whenever my nephew and his husband get around to that."

His voice is dryly amused, and it translates even through the tinny static of Porygon.

"I still have a lot of obligations and 'unfinished business'. It's not fair to Jack to linger forever, and I don't intend to. It just means if going back to myself isn't viable, I'll have to come up with something else. But don't worry about that."

"I've known Oak for a long time," he reassures, "I don't think he'd offer false hope. I'm just very cognizant of the reality that it may not work. Don't linger on things that haven't happened yet."

They squeeze around Hilda's hand.

"Let's get you that coffee. Being that tense is bound to give you a headache."

[heroftruth]

If it weren't for the context of the situation they're in, Hilda would be amused by the Porygon's actions. Instead, there's a heaviness as she listens to what Giovanni has to say. There's a clinging to positivity in his words, and maybe the pull he was feeling from the professor's actions is a hopeful sign. But she was the state his body was in, the lifelessness was gut wrenching.

For a moment all she can manage is a nod as she blinks back tears that threaten to form. "I'd like that." She starts before rising. "I'm glad that you're here, that you didn't leave us. I just-" She has to pause, to take a breath, and force herself to blink hard, not wanting to cry. "I hope you don't... leave."

"Better," he answers, the Porygon somersaulting in the air as he says it.

"I don't know how long I can remain like this, but I am not fading like I thought I was, initially. Whatever the professor was doing was pulling on me- but we've agreed to hold off on testing until after we're all out of the dire straits."

It's important to keep a hold of the silver linings.

"I'm a little sad to be missing out on coffee, but I'll join you just to be around people."